Quotes of the day

posted at 10:33 pm on July 13, 2011 by Allahpundit

“The average Republican voter, based on this data, wants a mix of 26 percent tax increases to 74 percent spending cuts. The average independent voter prefers a 34-to-66 mix, while the average Democratic voter wants a 46-to-54 mix…

“If we do take the Republicans’ no-new-taxes position literally, it isn’t surprising that the negotiations have broken down. Consider that, according to the Gallup poll, Republican voters want the deal to consist of 26 percent tax increases, and Democratic voters 46 percent — a gap of 20 percentage points. If Republicans in the House insist upon zero tax increases, there is a larger ideological gap between House Republicans and Republican voters than there is between Republican voters and Democratic ones.

“It would be foolish, in my view, to render any overly specific predictions about how the negotiations are likely to be resolved. But I would put greater weight on scenarios that would involve House Republicans not having to violate the pledge they signed to Mr. Norquist, including an end-around like Mr. McConnell’s — or even a failure to raise the debt ceiling at all, resulting in some combination of a debt default, a government shutdown, and a Constitutional crisis.”

***
“Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R., Wyo.), who co-chaired the White House’s deficit reduction panel last year, said he has lost hope the White House and Congress will be able to reach a deal to raise the debt ceiling by Aug. 2.

“‘I don’t think they’ll get it done,’ he told Washington Wire. ‘I did for a long while. Now that I see the total rigidity of the parties, if that is going to continue, there’s just no hope. I thought there would be.’”

***
“‘Our problem is we made a big deal about this for three months. How many Republicans have been on TV saying, ‘I’m not going to raise the debt limit.’ You know, Mitch [McConnell] says, ‘I’m not going to raise the debt limit unless we talk about Medicare.’ And I’ve said I’m not going to raise the debt limit until we do something about spending and entitlements.’ So we’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves,’ [Lindsey] Graham told reporters after a GOP caucus lunch.

“‘We shouldn’t have said that if we didn’t mean it.’”

***
“A blow-up between Obama and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor at the end of Wednesday’s White House negotiating session captured the building tension. ‘He’s frustrated, we’re all frustrated,’ Cantor said, describing the president as ‘abruptly walking out.’ Democrats took a different slant: ‘He (Obama) lit up Eric Cantor like he’s never been lit up,’ said one in the room…

“Cantor, who sparred on several occasions Wednesday with the president, complains of what he sees as a steady retreat from the higher level of savings that he anticipated would come from the Biden talks…

“Silent like two bookends throughout were McConnell and Reid. And it’s clear the two men are moving toward some variation of McConnell’s draft, sweetened perhaps with Democratic options and some savings, perhaps, to attract conservatives.”

***
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is working with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on an updated version of a proposal McConnell floated on Tuesday to allow President Obama to raise the federal debt ceiling in multiple steps.

“Reid has proposed linking McConnell’s plan with spending cuts—totaling perhaps $1 trillion over 10 years—and identified talks led by Vice President Joe Biden as the likely source of those cuts, according to Senate leadership aides. When each chamber voted to approve the process allowing Obama to increase the debt ceiling, they would also vote on the cuts, the aides said.

“‘The Republican Leader’s proposal combined with ideas he and I have been discussing to force a vote on deficit-reduction proposals could go a long way toward resolving the impasse we now find ourselves in,’ Reid said Wednesday morning.”

***
“There seems to be a sense on the Right that McConnell’s concession to reality was far too broad, far too soon, and far too permissive—that Obama and the Democrats must be made to account for the increase in the debt limit with significant spending cuts that will at least mitigate in some way the damage they did by piling on new debt in 2009 and 2010, and that McConnell is letting them off the hook. Fair enough; maybe he was. But the question he was attempting to answer is which will be more damaging to the GOP and conservatives generally: Raising the debt limit without making Obama pay or failing to raise the debt limit? McConnell is betting that failing to raise the debt limit, or even contributing to the general uncertainty about whether the debt limit will be raised, is worse for him and his party.

“It is, of course, a guessing game, trying to figure out who would be blamed for bad stuff. But peddling the ‘narrative’ in which the GOP gets blamed for irresponsible and unreasonable negotiating tactics has a long history of working for Democrats. McConnell’s sense that seeming to be recalcitrant about raising the debt ceiling is more perilous than the alternative is sound pessimistic politics, which takes into account that very danger.”

***
“[L]et’s be serious: there is no dealing with Obama on entitlements in the next eighteen months because there is no common ground to be found with him. Sure, he talks a good game about controlling spending, but consider his actions. The country handed the keys of the kingdom to Obama and the Democrats in November 2008. At that point, CBO was already projecting that entitlement spending was going to break the bank, and what did Obama and his party do? Create another new entitlement, one designed not for long-term durability, but short-term political calculations. Since his midterm rebuke, he’s decided to channel hyper-partisan Harry Truman and run against the evil Republicans, who are threatening to kill seniors with the Ryan plan. Clearly, his focus is on his reelection, which is dependent on firing up the Democratic left once again…

“This is the party’s best bet: rein in spending as best it can in a debt ceiling deal as well as the upcoming budget, then take the battle on deficits to the November 2012 election, offering the public this position: Our entitlement system is no longer sustainable with the taxes we raise to support it; either taxes must be raised substantially or the system must be reformed; we Republicans oppose tax hikes and believe that reform of the system can be achieved without reducing benefits.”

***
“I don’t trust this President… He doesn’t know how to make those cuts. He’s never had to do this before. He’s always just been one to spend other people’s money even if that money is just borrowed money or printed out of thin air. He’s never had to exercise real executive authority like that.” Click the image to watch.

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Comments

“I don’t trust this President… He doesn’t know how to make those cuts. He’s never had to do this before. He’s always just been one to spend other people’s money even if that money is just borrowed money or printed out of thin air. He’s never had to exercise real executive authority like that.”

Will some GOP person please refer to Obama as a community organizer-in-chief? That’s all this is. He’s demanding stuff because he can, or he thinks he can. He’s not used to people saying “No!”. He used to banks, businesses, whatever cowering in fear of a protest or a boycott. Well, guess what, you turd, WE WON last November.

Palin’s interview was very presidential. Called out the GOp for their waving of the white flag, called out Obama for his failure to lead, no plan and attmept to scare our sesteemed senior citizens.

Laid out how we could go without raisng the debt limit and not defaulting. how everything needed to be paid would be paid. She had the numbers down. numbers that hannity had to read off a sheet of paper Palin knew by heart.

She placed a firm timeline of aug/sept for her decision on running and said if the gop surrenders and raises the debt limit then they need to embrace Demint’s plan.

the debt limit vote will be what Palin uses to throw her hat in the ring and run against both Obama and the gop establishment. game set match.

Why is it people feel the need to rip on one of the few people who, has not minded from day one, to call Obama out – those “on our side’ I might add… I mean I get why Liberals do it, since she stands for everything that they hate.

Please tell me why “Don’t call my bluff, Eric” is NOT the quote of the century? Right now Sarah Palin is insignificant to this travesty of a President playing three card Monty on the American public’s well being.

Oh yes, by all means lets line up behind the usual milquetoast Vanilla offerings of the Beltway GOP.

Let’s Nominate Romney: Only He Is Moderate Enough To Appeal To The Moderates!

I hope all you Romneybots around here realize that the only reason that anyone on K-Street supports Mittens at all is because he has more money than God and is willing to spend it on consultants like a 17-year old PFC in a Bangkok cathouse.

Jesus. Republicans never learn. Mittens couldn’t beat Joe Lieberman for the Presidency of Hamas. Of course, the GOP is the Stupid Party, so there is the always reasonable chance that we’ll nominate this Store Mannequin for President.

In which case, Obama will beat Romney like a rented mule. It won’t even be close.

I just finished watching Hannity and Greta and this debt ceiling fight is truly splitting the republican establishment and tea partiers. On Hannity I heard Ann Coulter today as well as Stuart Varney, Dana Perino and Governor John Kasich yesterday all suggesting that McConnell needs to cut a deal with Obama. Coulter went so far as to say that if the republicans don’t they’ll look bad. WTH??? On Greta, I heard Rove who also believes a deal must be cut. These are the same people who told us that the last time the debt ceiling was raised we were getting an excellent deal. You know, the one where the $300 billion in cuts ended up being about $30 billion? These people are all cut from the same Washington cloth. I’ve had it with the republicans. I don’t want to cut any deal with the democrats because we always end up with the short end of the stick!!

Why is it people feel the need to rip on one of the few people who, has not minded from day one, to call Obama out – those “on our side’ I might add… I mean I get why Liberals do it, since she stands for everything that they hate.

because their candidates don’t and they know if people listen to Palin as a serious candidate she wins by a landslide.

who would you rather have in the WH right now on this debt limit crisis. Mitt or Palin. Who’s actions would you trust more to do the correct thing for the long term good of the country? And the answer to that explains why they must tear down Palin.

I don’t trust this President… He doesn’t know how to make those cuts. He’s never had to do this before. He’s always just been one to spend other people’s money even if that money is just borrowed money or printed out of thin air. He’s never had to exercise real executive authority like that.”

Please tell me why “Don’t call my bluff, Eric” is NOT the quote of the century? Right now Sarah Palin is insignificant to this travesty of a President playing three card Monty on the American public’s well being.

Rovin on July 13, 2011 at 10:53 PM

Boy ain’t that the truth! We’re actually witnessing history as our POTUS has a melt down right before our eyes.

His remark “I’m taking this to the American people” tonight was very telling.

I am extremely disappointed with Ann Coulter. Her true colors have certainly bled through. As for Rove & Company, I am not surprised they want a deal. Why do they care so much about Republican perception now, after destroying the Republican party over 8 years and not caring what anybody thought?

Why don’t we let her choose to tell us if, and when in her own good time? Its not up to anyone but her to set her schedule and do so, when she thinks it will help her, and her campaign best.

I’ve never seen so many people try to shut out a potential candidate whom they’re sure is loser. There’s that odd disconent agian, between actions and words. If she can’t win, “even the nomination…” then what are you so worried about? And conversely, if she can move the needle to get the nomination, surely she can do so in a general election. After all, she’s been elected before and I bet knows more about how to do then any of us posting here.

Glad to hear Palin taking it to Obama, and giving the RINOS willing to cave to him a little love tap as she does it.

I think I even heard a few policy specifics in there…

/s

Oh, and it’s increasingly clear that while Palin likes Bachmann, she won’t support her candidacy in the primary (did you hear the comments about needing a candidate with strong “executive experience?”)

Assume that the people who told Gallup that they wanted “mostly” cuts would prefer a 3-to-1 ratio of spending reductions to tax increases, and that those who said they wanted mostly tax increases would prefer a 3-to-1 ratio in the opposite direction. (The other choices that Gallup provided in the poll — an equal mix of tax increases and spending cuts or a deal that consisted entirely of one or the other — are straightforward to interpret.)

The average Republican voter, based on this data, wants a mix of 26 percent tax increases to 74 percent spending cuts.

That is an UNBELIEVABLY IDIOTIC way to interpret that data. Nate Silver’s grasping at straws here.

You really don’t get it do you? did you think Palin was just a flash in the pan? and not only will she win the nomination get elected win re-election she unlike Reagan because of his illness will stay on the stage after her term like clinton and make sure the next GOP admin doesn’t go wobbly and become bush lite again.

I was mildly surprised at Coulter’s take on this. I say mildly because she has been steadily leaning RINO for a while now. I heard her on an interview the other day defending Bill Maher. Anyone who can defend that low-life does not deserve any of my respect.

What’s the rush? How would anything be different (other than polls and exploding heads) if she announced today instead of August or September. She wouldn’t have any more power then than she does now. She still couldn’t enforce what she says or have any real influence on the process (other than steering the debate…which she seems to do anyhow).

I must say that this interview is one of the most impressive I’ve seen of Sarah. She wasn’t evasively kind in this interview. I think she’s had enough. Love the money quote about BO having no executive experience and not knowing what to do.

Has Bachmann done anything to affect this debate since she announced? Why, she’s the only contender that actually has a say in the process since she is IN THE HOUSE. She should take this opportunity to show her leadership skills. Where’s her proposal/bill? Where’s the Bachmann plan? She wants to lead the country, she should be chomping at the bit be a leader in this debate in the House. Especially since one of her weaknesses (that she’s already been hit on) is a lack of executive experience. Maybe she has taken a lead, but I haven’t seen it yet. I see McConnell, Boenher, and Ryan. The first two can be excused, but Ryan isn’t the Speaker or minority leader.

I was mildly surprised at Coulter’s take on this. I say mildly because she has been steadily leaning RINO for a while now. I heard her on an interview the other day defending Bill Maher. Anyone who can defend that low-life does not deserve any of my respect.

KickandSwimMom on July 13, 2011 at 11:05 PM

I don’t know anymore. The lines between allies & Enemies are so blurred as of late, I don’t know who has Americas best interest at heart, and who just wants to get along with the jerks across the aisle.

It’s like McCain’s disease is spreading though the party. If the GOP thinks they are going to just waltz into the White House beating an Anti-Obama drum, they are going to be sorely mistaken. Fiscal restraint, and spending repeals must be top priority.

Has Bachmann done anything to affect this debate since she announced? Why, she’s the only contender that actually has a say in the process since she is IN THE HOUSE. She should take this opportunity to show her leadership skills. Where’s her proposal/bill? Where’s the Bachmann plan? She wants to lead the country, she should be chomping at the bit be a leader in this debate in the House.

Pattosensei on July 13, 2011 at 11:06 PM

I’ve been asking the same thing. To her credit though, she had quite a good interview on Greta tonight – though she deal steal the ‘President can’t prioritize’ from Palin when she seemed not sure what to say.

You seem to be praying for a plane carrying Obama, Biden, Romney, Perry, Cain, Pawlenty, Bachmann, Donald Trump and Lou Dobbs to crash in the Rocky Mountains somewhere, because otherwise she’s going to remain a private citizen.

don’t know anymore. The lines between allies & Enemies are so blurred as of late, I don’t know who has Americas best interest at heart, and who just wants to get along with the jerks across the aisle.

It’s like McCain’s disease is spreading though the party. If the GOP thinks they are going to just waltz into the White House beating an Anti-Obama drum, they are going to be sorely mistaken. Fiscal restraint, and spending repeals must be top priority.

portlandon on July 13, 2011 at 11:10 PM

it’s always been there. It’s just that certain people are making us aware of it. Before we would have had ann and Rove speak and that would have been the stanard gop line. now with the Tea party and its leaders on the stage we have a diffenret opinion.

the gop establishment is showing daily they are closer to the liberals than to the people.

You seem to be praying for a plane carrying Obama, Biden, Romney, Perry, Cain, Pawlenty, Bachmann, Donald Trump and Lou Dobbs to crash in the Rocky Mountains somewhere, because otherwise she’s going to remain a private citizen.

You seem to be praying for a plane carrying Obama, Biden, Romney, Perry, Cain, Pawlenty, Bachmann, Donald Trump and Lou Dobbs to crash in the Rocky Mountains somewhere, because otherwise she’s going to remain a private citizen.

KingGold on July 13, 2011 at 11:14 PM

What a terrible thing to say, or joke about.

Change your filter, because the one filtering the crap out of your decision making is all clogged up.

The public needs to see the graphs of debt and deficit and interest payments and revenue and spending and projected growth. Then they will see with their own eyes how unsustainable this all is. Maybe then we’ll begin to live within our means.

I guess that’s in reference to the Statute of Limitations issue in Alaska that has been mentioned briefly here before.

PappyD61 on July 13, 2011 at 11:17 PM

I think it’s more that by law, you have to submit certain forms and crap by certain deadlines if you are planning on being on the ballot. I don’t know any of the specific dates and keep telling myself to research some and find out but just haven’t yet.

Change your filter, because the one filtering the crap out of your decision making is all clogged up.

portlandon on July 13, 2011 at 11:17 PM

Call your mommy if you can’t handle it. I confront absurdity with absurdity. If I wrote this

You really don’t get it do you? did you think [] was just a flash in the pan? and not only will [] win the nomination get elected win re-election [] unlike Reagan because of his illness will stay on the stage after [] term like clinton and make sure the next GOP admin doesn’t go wobbly and become bush lite again.

What’s the rush? How would anything be different (other than polls and exploding heads) if she announced today instead of August or September.

Has Bachmann done anything to affect this debate since she announced? Why, she’s the only contender that actually has a say in the process since she is IN THE HOUSE. She should take this opportunity to show her leadership skills. Where’s her proposal/bill? Where’s the Bachmann plan?

Pattosensei on July 13, 2011 at 11:06 PM

The polls actually are different now compared to a month ago. Palin’s losing support to other contenders, particularly Bachmann. That’s not to say some or even many of those voters wouldn’t swing back into her camp should she announce her candidacy, but the longer she waits, the more difficult a task that’ll be. Her supporters can talk all day long about volunteers on the ground waiting for her to get in, but unless she’s got a campaign staff working behind the scenes that no one knows about and she’s been secretly talking to donors, then she’s already behind the eight ball compared to others like Mittens.

Bachmann has announced her intentions regarding the vote on the debt ceiling(assuming there even is one). As for why she doesn’t have a plan to deal with it, she doesn’t have a seat at the negotiating table. Boehner, Cantor, and McConnell are in charge there. If you’re gonna fault Bachmann for not being there, you’d have to do likewise with every other GOP contender.

I also liked Sarah’s comment on 0bama as the POTUS and can’t prioritize spending.

Mirimichi on July 13, 2011 at 11:18 PM

And it makes sense with his community organizing in Chicago where you set up your Utopian project, apply for a grant for the full amount, pull a few strings (this is Chicago we’re talking about), badda bing, badda boom, you’ve got the full amount of cash. Never need to cut and pare from the ideal because you can’t raise enough cash.

Yes, I think I heard her mention something about those deadlines in earlier interviews.

She’s just laying out the “well, if you want to run you have to file by certain dates, and build your infrastructure” but isn’t going to be pushed into declaring her intentions based on a media timetable, IMO.

the more bachmann does this crap the more people will see her as en empty suit unable to make up her own talking points. As her baggage grows she will be increasingly laughed off the stage.

unseen on July 13, 2011 at 11:19 PM

Not sure if you saw the Greta interview, but if you did, you’ve gotta give credit where it’s due – overall, it was a strong performance. Just like it’s disingenuous when ABPers can’t acknowledge Palin’s strengths, it’s no difference if Palinista’s do the same with other candidates.

I’ve disagreed with you before without thinking you were an idiot. That’s changed.

Did you bother reading the article you linked to?

I’ll save you some of the trouble; check the 4th and 5th paragraphs:

Palin tried to restrain legislative spending, pare back earmark requests and steer money into reserve funds, he said. He acknowledged, however, that Palin had to sign off on numerous pet projects in legislative districts.

“Sure, there are some political realities,” McAllister said.

Palin used her line-item veto power to strike nearly half a billion dollars in spending items in 2007 and 2008.

Sigh. In some cities they are going quite fast, yes. But the movie is not a campaign commercial. As far as it is concerned, it doesn’t matter if she declares or not. the fact that she fights and won’t give up is what matters, and we need more congresspeople who get that message.

It’s like McCain’s disease is spreading though the party. If the GOP thinks they are going to just waltz into the White House beating an Anti-Obama drum, they are going to be sorely mistaken. Fiscal restraint, and spending repeals must be top priority.

portlandon on July 13, 2011 at 11:10 PM

I’m coming to the conclusion, as I stated above, that the Washington establishment are all cut from the same cloth. They all live and depend upon government for their survival. I liken it to a royal court in the 17th-18th centuries. You had the royals (president, congress) and all the courtiers (lobbyists, pundits, journalists, etc.) who hung around trying to curry favor with the royals so as to gain some of their own power and wealth. Above all, though, the royals and the courtiers were aware that they depended upon the labor of the lowly masses, and they worked together to be sure they kept the masses down so they could retain their power and privilege.

The polls actually are different now compared to a month ago. Palin’s losing support to other contenders, particularly Bachmann.

Doughboy on July 13, 2011 at 11:21 PM

Not all polls. PPP (Daily Kos polling firm) from North Carolina came up with this:

Palin’s net favorable rating has improved by nine points since June while Pawlenty’s, Cain’s, and Mitt “peacetime” Romney’s net favorable ratings have fallen by nine, four, and six points, respectively.

Palin’s net favorable rating among independents has increased by 37 points since June.

She has a better a net favorable rating among independents than Michele Bachmann or Mitt “peacetime” Romney.

She has turned a 16-point deficit among independents into a 13-point lead in one month.

Among McCain/Palin voters, the Governor has a net favorable rating of +40 while Bachmann and Romney have net favorable ratings of +15 and +20, respectively.

Among Republicans, the Governor has a net favorable rating of +37 while Bachmann and Romney have net favorable ratings of +10 and +27, respectively.

Not sure if you saw the Greta interview, but if you did, you’ve gotta give credit where it’s due – overall, it was a strong performance. Just like it’s disingenuous when ABPers can’t acknowledge Palin’s strengths, it’s no difference if Palinista’s do the same with other candidates.

miConsevative on July 13, 2011 at 11:25 PM

when Palin starts copying bachmann’s talking points I will call her out about it.

Palin nails him again. Repeatedly. All of you Palin-doubters waiting for an official announcement are playing yesterday’s game, like most generals who prepare for the last war not the next one. Game on!

feel that there are two distinct factions within the GOP fighting for control. The Reagan Conservatives vs. the Bush “Compassionate Conservative” Republicans.

It’s interesting to see who is siding with which faction.

portlandon on July 13, 2011 at 11:25 PM

yes it has been going on for decades. the difference this time is there is a reaganite on the central stage getting air time and notice. The usual way the RINO wing controlled the party was to make sure no Reaganite got to this stage. limit the voices and you control the party. Now not so much…

Aren’t you too busy assigning all of the people supporting candidates other than Palin to the “Bush wing” of the party?

They aren’t going to exile themselves, you know.

KingGold on July 13, 2011 at 11:31 PM

Gosh you get whiny at times.

I am not assigning all people supporting other candidates other than Palin to the “Bush wing” of the party. I am referring to supporters here, pundits, & Republicans currently serving who want to cut Deals with Obama to save their own skins, rather than make a hard decision.

Somebody has to be the adult in the ruling class of overindulgent children.

Not sure if you saw the Greta interview, but if you did, you’ve gotta give credit where it’s due – overall, it was a strong performance. Just like it’s disingenuous when ABPers can’t acknowledge Palin’s strengths, it’s no difference if Palinista’s do the same with other candidates.

miConsevative on July 13, 2011 at 11:25 PM

She did well on Hannity last night too, but I don’t give too much credence to many of Hannity’s softball interviews.

It’s a shame what some of the Palin supporters are doing to both Bachmann and Perry here.